


and the world was quiet (but i was still awake)

by riff_raff_exjoy



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Blaze Hybrid Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Dream XD - Freeform, Explicit Language, Fluff and Angst, Forehead Kisses, Gods, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, I have no idea how to tag for this fandom i'm weak, Isolation, M/M, Mentions of Schlatt, Mentions of Sex, No Smut, POV Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Polyamory, This is about FRIENDSHIP, also i'm aware sapnap probably doesn't have any knowledge about some of these things but shhhhhh, but like not by name it's very brief, cause they rule, don't be weird pls and thx, george cries in this but for maybe a sec, its not a lot but we get in our feels over here, joking about bondage, not me making my own lore and mythology, promise it's just a joke, talking about feelings, the trio are in love, they may be a bit ooc i apologize i've been at this for like a week, tubbo and randboo's marriage is platonic, very briefly though, very cautiously tagging humor lmao, we love omnipotent gods choosing favorites lmao, whoops forgot to tag angst, yeah i'm just gonna post this and see how it goes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 14:14:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29967585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/riff_raff_exjoy/pseuds/riff_raff_exjoy
Summary: After Dream was sent to prison, everyone seemed to cling to a higher power.~(Y'all ever had a best friend so persistent that they get you to into white boys roleplaying with Minecraft lmao?)Please note that if the creators are uncomfortable I will remove this work immediately.
Relationships: Alexis | Quackity/Karl Jacobs/Sapnap, Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), implied
Comments: 12
Kudos: 93





	and the world was quiet (but i was still awake)

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so I'm very new to this. My best friend literally gave me a PowerPoint slideshow to help me understand what's going on but if something is off I'm very sorry. This is all just their characters of course and yeah. 
> 
> Please enjoy!
> 
> ps. this was loosely inspired by valerian_valentine's My Baby

After Dream was sent to prison, everyone seemed to cling to a higher power.

Sapnap thought it was kinda funny. The dust had settled and Dream, who was the cause of all of their troubles, was locked away with no hope of seeing daylight and yet they were not united. Everyone scattered to different parts of the SMP, chasing something with their newfound freedom, something to make them whole. Tubbo and Ranboo were allegedly building a home together. Philza and Technoblade were off doing… whatever they do. Puffy told him that Techno actually came to town briefly, trying to get a read on the Egg with Niki. A read on Bad. It hurt distantly (because Sapnap had long since become numb to the pain of parents not being there) that Bad was who he was now. A follower. A devotee to something that was unrelentingly evil, but Bad was chasing Skeppy, in his own fucked up way. Sapnap could never agree with the Egg and how willingly Bad gave in, but in his heart of hearts, he knew he might’ve done the same. If it was Karl. If it was Quackity.

Sapnap knew that he licked his wounds by clinging to Karl and Quackity a bit too tightly. He’s enough of a man to know that his abandonment issues were rearing their head into his engagement, but just as he clung, Karl and Quackity clung back. Most times. Sometimes there was this craze in Quackity’s gaze, wealth clinging to his lips and eyes, turning him sour and distant. And Karl just disappeared. Sometimes physically, sometimes mentally. He just walked through his day without being present. Sapnap knew they were going to break his heart, just like everyone else had, but he couldn’t stop. He clung onto them in Kinoko and begged them silently to stay. Sometimes they did. Sometimes.

And then there was George.

George also lived in Kinoko, on the edges, farther away from Sapnap and his fiances. But still there. He and Sapnap talked often. More often than they did with Dream manipulating everything carefully. George stayed out of most things, didn’t ask for how anyone was doing, beyond polite inquiries about when Sapnap was getting married (“It should be soon. You never know what could happen.”). He lived in the mushroom forest and slept his days away and did not do much but stare at the open sky.

“He’s probably heartbroken,” Karl had commented absently, one hand holding open a book, another one cradling Quackity’s face from where he laid on the couch, head in his lap. Sapnap made a noise of disgust from where he hung from Karl’s shoulders behind the couch.

“By that monster?”

“We’ve all fallen for monsters before,” Quackity said quietly and Karl made a mournful noise as Sapnap walked around to kiss his forehead.

“I’m sorry,” He murmured against his forehead, then sighed, squishing next to Karl on their couch. “I just don’t know how to help him,”

“Maybe he needs people,” Quackity offered. “He’s always fucking around in that forest without really seeing anyone.”

“I can’t think of anyone he could see right now,” Sapnap said honestly. This post-Dream world was strange and tense. Dangerous.

“Bring him to see us,” Karl said, rolling his eyes.

“Duh,” Quackity added giggling. “It’s the neighborly thing to do,”

Sapnap shoved them lightly, rolling his own eyes but began to think about it. It’s a pretty good idea. George seemed pretty neutral to most people but he did ask after Karl and Quackity often. Maybe they were right.

So the next day, Sapnap journeyed into the forest to find George and try to convince him to have dinner with them. He didn’t often come on weekdays with him and his fiances being busy, but he figured it might be a welcomed surprise. George tended to stay out of conflict but he’s never been this isolated or this… lost before.

George didn’t smile as much anymore. He wasn’t as jokey or haughty as he’s always been. Wasn’t having fun or getting involved in random adventures. After Dream dethroned him George was distant. At the moment he laughed it off and only said a quiet “Are you serious, Dream?” before leaving, without a trace. Dream was stoic as ever but asked Punz and Sapnap periodically to try and find him. Sapnap didn’t know about Punz but he didn’t try that hard. He saw the look in George’s eyes as Dream spoke to him harshly, not that stinging to anyone else but a shock to see it used on George. Dream always protected George, always defended him, always yielded to him, and yet at that moment, he hadn’t. He thought George could use a break from whatever Dream was doing. He let him fall into obscurity in Kinoko and George hasn’t been publicly seen since.

In Sapnap’s opinion, Kinoko did George good. While it didn’t bring him back, funny, happy, playful George, the mushrooms made him happy. At least a little. George spoke quietly and seemed to have forgotten how to smile but the forest brought back a bit. A small bit. Sapnap could work with that small amount and hoped that bringing him home would do the rest.

When he arrived, George’s cottage was empty. There wasn’t a fire roaring or even his laundry hanging on the line as it usually was. Sapnap went past the property boundary and began to look for him, worry clawing at his throat.

“George!” He called wandering around the deeper part of the mushrooms. “Where’d you go?! George?!”

There was the quiet sound of talking that stopped his yelling. As he pushed past some stalks of mushrooms he saw George, in some armor, thankfully whole, talking to a figure. George had a smile pulling on his lips and he was rolling his eyes, trudging along the forest, avoiding stepping on mushrooms and picking berries along the way. He almost looked like his old self, being teased and teasing back, laughing loudly, and pretending like he didn’t like--

Dream. The figure was Dream, but not quite.

The figure was wearing a green cloak, it honestly looked like it was only that coat. It had halos around its head, his hair, underneath the hood, was the same blond as Dream’s, face just as tanned with golden earrings adorning its ears, and it wore a mask just like he did, only with a golden “XD” on the front. Its voice was more echoey but it was the same timber as Dream’s and Sapnap was drawing his sword and stalking towards them before he could even think.

“You’re so useless,” George huffed.

“Useless?!”

“What’s the point of you being here if you’re not even going to help me?” George said, throwing a few berries into his basket, as the figure hung around him.

“What if I just like being with you, George?” The figure hummed, moving to stand in front of him, leaning into his face. “I can’t just want to be with you?”

George flushed. “You’re an idiot,”

“If you asked me _nicely_ , I could help you,” The figure insisted.

George pushed him away. “I’m not asking you to make it rain mana from the sky, I just want you to help me find some food!”

The figure huffed. “I’d rather you ask me to give you mana,”

“You’re impossible--”

And then Sapnap had his enchanted sword against the figure’s throat. Or would be throat. Both of them freeze, George, wide-eyed and panicking, the figure, slightly menacing.

“George,” Sapnap said lowly. “What is this?”

“Sapnap!” George exclaimed. “It’s not him! You don’t understand he,” George cut himself off as the figure began to glow menacingly. “Hey!” He barked. “Quit it!” The figure’s light went out abruptly and George huffed about stupid gods as he walked around it and pushed Sapnap’s sword away.

“George!”

“No, listen,” George replied unimpressed. “This isn’t Dream.”

“Well, no shit!” Sapnap exclaimed. “Last I check Dream was just a human but George this could be a trap or, or a--”

“It’s not,”

“Or a ploy of his!” Sapanap felt annoyance build at how nonchalant George was acting. “George can you honestly tell me that this,” He waved his sword around awkwardly to indicate to the figure. “Thing isn’t affiliated with Dream?”

George sighed and sat on the ground tiredly. The figure, who still seemed wary of Sapnap, floated next to George petulantly. “Do you-- do you remember the stories he used to tell?”

Sapnap eyed him warily but sat across from them, sword still out. “Oh yeah sure George let’s stop talking about a very clear issue of a magic thing cosplaying as Dream and spend time remembering--”

“Sapnap, would you shut up?!” George exclaimed, throwing up his hands. “I’m trying to explain but you’re being impossible!” Sapnap felt himself deflate.

“Jeez, sorry, fine,” He sighed and thought back. “Do I remember the stories about how there are old gods and how he wanted to be one? Yeah, the egomaniac wouldn’t shut up about it.”

“Yeah,” George agreed, smiling sadly. “He was always talking like he lost something. He needed power and control to get it back.”

“Threatening his family wasn’t the way to do that,” Sapnap muttered bitterly. Tears sprung to George’s eyes quicker than Sapnap could apologize. “George--”

“You don’t need to tell me that!” He yelled, wiping his face furiously. The figure glowed again but George pushed it away. “I know he fucked up! Very personally.”

Sapnap winced and nodded. “Sorry.” He apologized again. “I just get so angry when I think about it.”

“It’s fine,” George sniffed. “I’m sorry for getting upset. He hurt you too.” He paused to take a breath and offered his basket of berries to Sapnap who took them gratefully. “Where was I?” He asked around a berry of his own. “Right, power. Well turns it out his stories weren’t just stories. They were kinda true. Only backwards I think.”

“Backwards?”

“Dream was once whole,” George said and illustrated with his hands. “I don’t know how long ago it was but Dream and him,” He pointed at the figure. “Were once one and the same and then Dream decided he wanted to be mortal.”

Sapnap couldn’t wrap his mind around what he was saying. When he was young, a dirty little fire-blaze child that Bad found and raised carefully, Dream was there. They literally grew up together, two strange orphan children lost in a dangerous world. Sapnap was found in the nether, it made sense that no one could find his parents but Dream was human. Granted a very intelligent and powerful human, but human all the same. A human orphan that had no parents to claim him. A human orphan that dropped out of the sky.

“Oh my god,” He whispered to himself as he realized. George nodded along sympathetically.

“This Dream,” George said. “Doesn’t know us. He knows of us, he watches the SMP because he’s a, well,” He scratched the back of his neck. “He’s a god. But he’s a part of our Dream. A part of a whole we’ve never met.”

“I see,” Sapnap muttered nodding. “So what you’re telling me is that every version of Dream simps for you.”

George flushed scarlet and the figure, the god Dream, started laughing echoey and unsettling.

“Sapnap!”

Sapnap laughed. “I’m just saying! You’re sitting here in the middle of nowhere ordering a god to help you pick berries!”

“He has a point,” The god Dream agreed and it was so achingly familiar it hurt just to hear.

“You both are idiots,” George muttered into his hands.

“So what do you call him?” Sapnap asked, nudging George slightly.

George raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “What do you mean what do I call him? He has a name.”

“Well yeah,” Sapnap agreed readily. “But I’m sure he prefers whatever you call him,”

The figure grinned behind its--his mask. “He calls me Dream or Dream XD,”

Sapnap’s mouth fell open. “He does not. Shut up!”

“Dream! Sapnap!” George protested but Sapnap couldn’t hear him over his loud laughter.

“You call an eldritch god, Dream XD?!”

“His real name is too hard to pronounce!” George exclaimed. “He’s the one who insisted on being called it. They both like the name I guess.”

“Huh,” Sapnap said distantly cause this was weird. Weirder than most things on this server. Even weirder than how Fundy was conceived. “Well, I came here to invite you to dinner but if you’re busy I’ll--”

“Invite me to dinner?” George interrupted, eyebrows raised. Dream XD floated behind him and ‘sat’ with an arm around his waist. George tried to move the hand absentmindedly but it stayed. “You mean with Karl and Quackity?”

“Yeah, man!” Sapnap enthused. “They wanted to show off our digs.”

George's eyes found the ground and Sapnap frowned, scooting closer, sword forgotten behind him. “I don’t if they’d want-- I mean I fucked up everything by falling asleep during the war and the elections and--”

“George,” Sapnap interrupted. “You’re not-- we all made mistakes, man.” The god behind George was silent but observing as Sapnap took George’s hand gently. He was flashed back to when they used to act stupid early in the SMP. Finding caves and building portals, gentle hope, and affection between them. The SMP wasn’t ever meant to be what it became. It started with a couple of friends that wanted to build a world, all while acting stupid, making memories, and holding hands. George’s hand felt the same as it did years ago. “It wouldn’t be fair to blame just one person for what happened.” Sapnap sighed as George squeezed his hand back. “We can’t even blame Dream for everything.”

“He fucked up.”

“Yeah.”

“He hurt us both.”

“Yep.”

“But he’s still our friend.”

Sapnap felt his eyes burn lightly. “He’ll always be our friend,” He agreed, because as much as he wants to sock that fucker in the face, Dream was his brother. His fucked up brother that he’ll always love one way or another. “But he needs to be in that cell right now. He’s too manipulative and power hungry to let go.”

George nodded. “I wish,” He coughed and looked up at Sapnap sadly. “I wish I noticed sooner. I was so used to him saving me, I thought he didn’t need me to save him,”

There were flaws in George’s statement. Sapnap knows there’s nothing George could have done to save Dream from becoming controlling and obsessed. Especially with Tommy constantly defying him and the history of destruction on the server. But all the same, Sapnap felt that same regret. If he had noticed sooner, maybe he could have encouraged him to go away. Take a break. Find a corner of the server where he could just relax, maybe with George and Sapnap, maybe all on his own. But there was no point of regretting, not at this point.

“I wish I could save him too,” Sapnap said softly. “But I don’t think us saving ourselves is too shabby either,”

George smiled. “No, it’s not bad at all.”

They were quiet for a moment, the mushrooms growing around them, bees and birds flying in and out of their area. Something settled deep in Sapnap’s chest and he couldn’t help but think he really needed to have this talk as much as George did.

“This is so dumb,” Sapnap groaned, falling back onto the ground. “I feel emotionally drained.”

George laughed, dumb and loud. It made Sapnap smile. “You’re the one who decided to break the pattern! You never visit me on a Thursday,”

“My fiances have me by the balls.” He huffed. “They kept bothering me so I couldn’t wait for the weekend.”

“Oh I’m Sapnap,” George mocked. “I’m a big and strong fire demon and I’m whipped by someone who’s 4’10 and a flower boy--”

“Quackity is 5’5 at least,” Sapnap insisted, sitting up with a grin. “And George,” He cooed. “We can’t talk about whipped without discussing the god you have cuddling you!”

Said god did not do anything but glow and grin brightly as George stammered and pushed at him to let him go. Eventually, George gave up and sulked. “Fine,” He said petulantly. “As soon as this idiot lets me go, I’ll come to dinner,”

Dream XD released George and floated upside down. “Can I--”

George held up a hand. “You absolutely cannot come.”

“But George,” The god whined and Sapnap shook his head. This was all really too familiar. “I never get to talk to anyone but you or Phil--”

George stood briskly and huffed. “And you should be satisfied with just that.” He picked up his basket then turned to the cloaked god who was drooping sadly. He cupped his masked face and smiled softly. “I don’t feel like having Quackity screaming for an hour straight, but you can come in spirit if you really want.”

The god made a noise that could have been a huff then disappeared in a flash of light. Sapnap whistled with his hands on his hips and grinned as George sent him an annoyed look.

“Shall we go then Gogy? My lovers await!”

George sighed dramatically. “Fine, but only cause I know Karl can actually cook,”

“Hey! I’ll have you know--”

And they walked back to Sapnap’s little estate. Sapnap couldn’t help but ask a bunch of questions about how George met a literal god (“I don’t know, he just appeared out of nowhere. Almost stabbed myself cause of how shocked I was,”), what exactly was their relationship (“The same relationship I always have with Dream I suppose. Walking the tightrope.”), was he gonna visit Dream in the prison (“I don’t know if I could stand to see him that way, to be honest. I might do something stupid and try to break him out,”), and if he understands that the god wasn’t actually Dream (“Most times I do. Sometimes I pretend and it always hurts afterwards. He’s not exactly like Dream. He’s more childish, less talkative, more lazy but sometimes he laughs just like him and I… I don’t know,”).

By the time they make it back to his estate, Sapnap feels slightly bad about how many questions he asked but George seemed to need the release. Obviously keeping Dream XD a secret was difficult to process, especially with Dream locked away. Sapnap shook himself out of his thoughts as they approached the gate. He felt himself smile.

“Welcome to my home George!” Sapnap exclaimed and George looked around obviously impressed. Surprisingly impressed. George has lived in a castle but he still stared at the estate with a soft smile. The house wasn’t much just a farm, a well, and the house that Karl and Quackity decorated meticulously, Sapnap only interjecting with his favorite type of wood and flowers, but it obviously a home. Obviously lived in. They haven’t been doing a lot of living this past few months.

Sapnap threw open the door and took off his boots and armor, encouraging George to do the same. “Honeys!” He called loudly. “I’m home!”

There was the sound of sprinting feet and Sapnap crouched firmly, arms open, waiting for the inevitable presence of his fiances. He grunted as both Karl and Quackity fell into his open arms trying to keep balance, but predictably their combined weight and force sent them falling onto the floor.

Sapnap fell with an ‘oof’, his arms wrapped around his fiances. He smiled widely looking down on them, Karl in his multicolored hoodie, and Quackity, devoid of his mask and wearing his comfy clothes.

“Hello,” He said and tried to stand but was bombarded by random kisses all over his face. He started giggling and tried to swat them away. “Karl! Quackity! We have a guest!”

Quackity propped himself on his chest and pouted exaggeratedly. “You’ve been gone forever.”

“I’ve been gone for four hours!”

Karl was still wrapped tightly around him, kissing his cheek. “That’s too long.” He muttered. “You should always be with us. We’re getting married.”

Sapnap rolled his eyes but kissed him back soundly. “I am aware we’re getting married. You two leave all the time and I never--”

“We should get you a leash!” Quackity interjected, making Sapnap and Karl fall silent before they started laughing wildly.

“Dude! Gross!”

“If this is some kind of sex thing--”

Quackity cackled falling onto the ground. “It’s not- it’s not I just,” He giggled. “I meant something to keep you tied to us--”

“Quackity!” Karl exclaimed, exaggerated, eyes wide. “If you have a bondage kink you should have told us! We could have had Sapnap tied up ages ago!”

“No--no,” Quackity devolved back into his giggles. “You’re so dumb I hate you,”

“We’re dumb?” Sapnap questioned. “You’re the one who wanted to put me on a leash!”

“I just--”

“Oh my god are you all done being gross?”

The trio paused their banter and collectively looked up at George who was putting on his annoyed face, arms crossed and everything, but still looked at them fondly. Sapnap shrugged sheepishly from where he was laid out in their hallway.

Quackity scrambled out of his hold and started yelling excitedly. “George!! You’re here!” He launched himself and George who tried to run but Quackity was already hugging him tightly. “George! George! Are we popping off? Popping off in Kinoko?”

“Oh my god,” George groaned but shyly returned the embrace. “You’re so annoying. I regret coming.”

“No you don’t,” Karl chimed in, grinning. “We’re having beef stew. Same recipe as always.”

Quackity let go of George and took Karl’s hand who took Sapnap’s who took George’s. Sapnap smiled at George brightly. “C’mon in.”

After Dream went to prison, everyone seemed to cling to a higher power. Whether it be power itself or wealth or answers or land, but most of all they clung to each other. Whether evil, neutral, possessed, or good the SMP found others to cling to. Frenemies and fiances and platonic husbands and organizations and gods. It wasn’t necessarily healthy and the land, the people, the not people, the dead people, would need time to accept, time to evolve, time to heal. But at the moment everyone had someone and that’s all that mattered.

Or at least that’s what Sapnap thought.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! If you know me in real life no you don't :)


End file.
